And they're right. History doesn't mean the whole past, it means what's documented about the past. "An Unearthly Child" (or "The Tribe of Gum" or "10,000 BC" or whatever) is set before the dawn of recorded history. So it's not a historical -- it's a prehistorical. "Marco" is the first story set during actual historical (i.e. documented) events.

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In Doctor Who, historicals are stories set in Earth's past, without any sci-fi elements.

And they're right. History doesn't mean the whole past, it means what's documented about the past. "An Unearthly Child" (or "The Tribe of Gum" or "10,000 BC" or whatever) is set before the dawn of recorded history. So it's not a historical -- it's a prehistorical. "Marco" is the first story set during actual historical (i.e. documented) events.

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In Doctor Who, historicals are stories set in Earth's past, without any sci-fi elements.

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Wether niggling over "Pre-historical" or "Historical", IMHO, as a Serial, it doesn't qualify because An Unearthly Child brings in all the SciFi elements, The TARDIS, The Time Travel, etc. Now, of course, The Historicals have them traveling in The TARDIS, but, that's after that part is established. With The first episode, since it introduces the whole premise and the SciFi elements and that's mainly what the episode is about, it qualifies as SciFi, IMO. The other 3 episodes are like a different Serial, and yea, they belong in the "Historical" pile, IMHO (wether you want to call them "Historical" or "Pre-historical")

I suppose it should, but I no one counts it as an historical that I know of.

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And they're right. History doesn't mean the whole past, it means what's documented about the past. "An Unearthly Child" (or "The Tribe of Gum" or "10,000 BC" or whatever) is set before the dawn of recorded history. So it's not a historical -- it's a prehistorical. "Marco" is the first story set during actual historical (i.e. documented) events.

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I don't know, AUC did a great job of depicting 1963 and that's nearly 50 years ago, so that's historical!

And they're right. History doesn't mean the whole past, it means what's documented about the past. "An Unearthly Child" (or "The Tribe of Gum" or "10,000 BC" or whatever) is set before the dawn of recorded history. So it's not a historical -- it's a prehistorical. "Marco" is the first story set during actual historical (i.e. documented) events.

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In Doctor Who, historicals are stories set in Earth's past, without any sci-fi elements.

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Actually we don't, technically, know for sure that episodes 2-4 of the series are set on Earth, we just assume so.

And they're right. History doesn't mean the whole past, it means what's documented about the past. "An Unearthly Child" (or "The Tribe of Gum" or "10,000 BC" or whatever) is set before the dawn of recorded history. So it's not a historical -- it's a prehistorical. "Marco" is the first story set during actual historical (i.e. documented) events.

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In Doctor Who, historicals are stories set in Earth's past, without any sci-fi elements.

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Actually we don't, technically, know for sure that episodes 2-4 of the series are set on Earth, we just assume so.

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And, of course, we have no way of knowing when stories with no apparent links to Earth like The Keys of Marinus and The Krotons and so on are set, so they could be before 1963 for all we know! Which would make them non-Earth historicals!

Good grief, lighten up. I'm just playing with words, because it's fun.

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I'm sorry, I didn't realize that you were joking.

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I'm not joking. I'm just engaged in a light-hearted exploration of ideas because I find it interesting, rather than trying to be "pedantic" or judgmental. It's just an abstract philosophical conversation with nothing at stake. I see that as recreation, not confrontation.

I'm not joking. I'm just engaged in a light-hearted exploration of ideas because I find it interesting, rather than trying to be "pedantic" or judgmental. It's just an abstract philosophical conversation with nothing at stake. I see that as recreation, not confrontation.

I'm not joking. I'm just engaged in a light-hearted exploration of ideas because I find it interesting, rather than trying to be "pedantic" or judgmental. It's just an abstract philosophical conversation with nothing at stake. I see that as recreation, not confrontation.

And, of course, we have no way of knowing when stories with no apparent links to Earth like The Keys of Marinus and The Krotons and so on are set, so they could be before 1963 for all we know! Which would make them non-Earth historicals!

[Sorry, couldn't resist it!]

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Those certainly exist in DW - Genesis of the Daleks is a perfect example, set in the past of a planet that had previously been depicted.

I always consider The Enemy of the World a future historical but that's me.

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I can see what you mean. It's set in the future, but it's a political thriller rather than something driven by a monster or an alien invasion or a technological threat (although Salamander does have some dangerous technologies at his disposal).